The Structure of Evolutionary Theory

The Structure of Evolutionary Theory

Infobox Book


name =The Structure of Evolutionary Theory
author =Stephen Jay Gould
genre =Non-fiction, Science
publisher =Belknap Press
release_date =March 21, 2002
pages =1,433
isbn =ISBN 0-674-00613-5
preceded_by =The Lying Stones of Marrakech
followed_by =I Have Landed

"The Structure of Evolutionary Theory" (2002) is a technical book on macroevolutionary theory by the Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould. The volume is divided into two parts. The first is a historical study and exegesis of classical evolutionary thought, drawing extensively upon primary documents. The second is a constructive critique of contemporary Darwinian theory, and presents a case for a hierarchical interpretation of biological evolution based largely on the author's theory of punctuated equilibrium.

According to Gould, classical Darwinism encompasses three essential core commitments. These are: "agency", "efficacy", and "scope". Agency is the unit upon which natural selection acts. For Darwin, this fundamental unit was the organism. Efficacy encompasses the power of natural selection—over all other forces—in shaping evolution at ecological scales. (Auxiliary forces include sexual selection, as well as historical, structural, and developmental constraints.) Scope is the degree to which natural selection can be extrapolated to explain biological diversity at the macroevolutionary level, including the evolution of higher taxonomic groups.

Gould described these three propositions as the "tripod" of Darwinian central logic, each being so essential to the structure that if any branch were cut, it would either kill, revise, or superficially refurbish the whole structure (depending on the severity of the cut). According to Gould "substantial changes, introduced during the last half of the 20th century, have built a structure so expanded beyond the original Darwinian core, and so enlarged by new principles of macroevolutionary explanation, that the full exposition, while remaining within the domain of Darwinian logic, must be construed as basically different from the canonical theory of natural selection, rather than simply extended."

In the arena of "agency", Gould explores the concept of "hierarchy" in the action of evolution (the idea that evolution may act on more than one unit simultaneously, as opposed to only acting upon individual organisms). In the arena of "efficacy" he explores the forces beside natural selection that have been considered in evolutionary theory. In the arena of "scope" he considers the relevance of natural selection to the larger scale patterns of life.

Outline

Chapter 1 introduces and outlines the central issues that Gould wishes to discuss. Part I of the book focuses on the early history of evolutionary thought (pre-1959), with Chapter 2 covering the structure of "The Origin of Species", Chapter 3 focusing on issues surrounding "agency", Chapters 4 & 5 covering "efficacy", and Chapters 6 & 7 covering "Scope". Part II (comprising the bulk of the text) focuses on the modern discussion and debate (post-1959). Chapters 8 & 9 cover "agency", 10 & 11 cover "efficacy", and 12 covers "scope".

Sections of the book dealing with punctuated equilibrium (chiefly Chapter 9) have been posthumously reprinted as a separate volume by Belknap Harvard.

Reviews

*Anonymous. [http://www.economist.com/books/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=1477461 The grand view] "The Economist" December 5, 2002.
*Ayala, Francisco (2005) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/ayala_structure.pdf On Stephen Jay Gould's monumental masterpiece] . "Theology and Science " 3 (March): 97-118.
*Barash, David (2002) [http://www.human-nature.com/nibbs/02/gould.html Grappling with the ghost of Gould] "Human Nature Review" 2 (July 9): 283-292.
*Brown, Andrew (2002) [http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/scienceandnature/0,6121,721500,00.html Adventures in evolution] "The Guardian", Saturday May 25, 2002.
*DiMichele, William (2003) [http://earth.geology.yale.edu/~ajs/2003/Mar/qn0303000259.PDF A season with Steve Gould] "American Journal of Science" 303 (March): 259-261.
*Doughty, Howard (2005) [http://www.senecac.on.ca/quarterly/2005-vol08-num01-winter/reviews/doughty1.html Review] "The College Quarterly" 8 (1).
*Erwin, Douglas H. (2004) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/erwin_structure.pdf One very long argument] . "Biology and Philosophy". 19 (1): 17-28.
*Flannery, Tim (2002) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/flannery_structure.html A new Darwinism?] "New York Review of Books" 49 (May 23): 52–54.
* Futuyma, Douglas J. (2002) [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5568/661 Stephen Jay Gould à la recherche du temps perdu] "Science" (April 26): 661-663
*Ghiselin, Michael T. (2002) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/ghiselin_structure.pdf An autobiographical anatomy] "Hist. Philos. Life. Sci." 24: 285-291.
*Grantham, Todd (2004) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/grantham_structure.pdf Constraints and spandrels in Gould's "Structure of Evolutionary Theory"] . "Biology and Philosophy". 19 (1): 29-43.
*Hull, David L. (2002) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/hull_structure.html A career in the glare of public acclaim] "Bioscience" 52 (September): 837-841.
*Jablonski, David (2002) [http://www.americanscientist.org/template/BookReviewTypeDetail/assetid/12756 A more modern synthesis] "American Scientist" 90 (July-August): 368-371.
*Korthof, Gert (2004) [http://home.planet.nl/~gkorthof/korthof63.htm Stephen Jay Gould as a critic of orthodox Neo-Darwinism] <http://home.planet.nl/~gkorthof/korthof63.htm>
*Marshall, James (2004) Review of "The Structure of Evolutionary Theory" by S. J. Gould. "Artificial Life" 10 (1): 113-115.
*McGarr, Paul (2003) [http://Reviewpubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj100/mcgarr.htm Revolutions in evolution] "International Socialism Journal" 100 (Autumn): 81-112.
*McShea, Daniel (2004) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/mcshea_structure.pdf A revised Darwinism] . "Biology and Philosophy". 19 (1): 45-53.
*Monastersky, Richard (2002) [http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i27/27a01401.htm Revising the book of life] "The Chronicle", March 15, A14.
*Orr, H. Allen (2002) [http://web.archive.org/web/20021003211020/http://newyorker.com/critics/atlarge/?020930crat_atlarge The descent of Gould] "The New Yorker", September 30, p. 132.
*Perlman, David (2002) [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/04/14/RV119833.DTL A Darwinian leap] "San Francisco Chronicle", April 14, RV-1.
*Quammen, David (2003) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/quammen_structure.html The man who knew too much] "Harper's Magazine", June, pp. 73-80.
*Raymo, Chet (2002) Gould's last book is fitting epitaph. "Boston Globe", May 28.
*Ridley, Mark (2002) [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E2DF1330F934A25750C0A9649C8B63&sec=&pagewanted=all Stephen Jay Gould wants an evolution revolution] "The New York Times", March 17, sect. 7, col. 1, p. 11.
*Ruse, Michael (2003) The Structure of Evolutionary Theory. "Isis" 94 (2): 397.
*Shermer, Michael (2002) [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34595-2002Apr11?language=printer Grand design] "Washington Post", April 14, BW04.
*Shostak, Stanley (2003) Struggle in the structure of evolutionary theory. "Boundary 2" 30 (Fall): 213-239.
*Sterelny, Kim (2003) Last will and testament. "Philosophy of Science" 70 (2): 255-263.
*Turner, John R.G. (2002) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200206/ai_n9131945/print Toe-breaker or epoch-maker?] "The Spectator", June 29.
*Wake, David B. (2002) [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/reviews/wake_structure.html A few words about evolution] "Nature" 416 (April 25): 787-788.
*Zimmerman, William F. (2003) [http://www.hbes.com/HBES/zimmerman-rev.htm Stephen Jay Gould's final view of evolution] "Quarterly Review of Biology" 78 (4): 454-459.

External links

* [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nhIl7e61WOUC The Structure of Evolutionary Theory available to read online at Google Books]
* [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/GOUSTR.html Harvard's promotional page]
* [http://www.stephenjaygould.org/library/gould_structure.html Punctuated Equilibrium's Threefold History] - book excerpt
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4235215525167207713#33m54s "Charlie Rose", March 1, 1994] - Gould discusses the purpose of the book
* [http://evolutionarytheory.wordpress.com The Structure of Evolutionary Theory Weblog] A blog on reading The Structure of Evolutionary Theory


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